“Priority of the BPICo as RIS operator is to ensure a sustainable inland navigation by increasing the safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness of the inland waterway transport as well as to provide a sustainable and efficient RIS information exchange among all stakeholders including waterway authorities, waterway users and logistic partners. The project RIS COMEX will contribute to achieve our goals and to meet the needs and expectations of the stakeholders. We do hope that RIS COMEX will significantly contribute for increasing the attractiveness of the inland transport mode.”

Romanian Naval Authority is the state authority in the field of safety of maritime and inland navigation, the specialized technical body of the Ministry of Transport, in charge with the implementation of the RIS Directive.

“For the last decade, RIS domain has become a priority for our institution. Within RIS COMEX, we envisage the strengthening and the development of the Romanian RIS services infrastructure as a solid support for the European RIS Corridor services. Starting from this premise, we aim bringing inland waterways users closer to the authorities and to the new RIS context”

MCTI – Directorate for Inland Waterways (Plovput) is a national authority for maintenance and development of international and interstate inland waterways and the RIS Authority in the Republic of Serbia.

“I expect a further international harmonization in the field of RIS and development of common RIS services on the Danube Corridor and other European waterways. The full potential of the Danube River can be utilized only if it is observed as a unique transport axis free of boundaries, with provision of set of services of common quality for the users and clients of the waterway. The RIS COMEX is a fine step towards achievement of such vision.”

Pursuant to the Inland waterway navigation and ports Act, the management of waterways has been exercised through a continual and undisturbed performance of the public service based on public powers with the objective of ensuring safety of navigation. The public service encompasses the following operations:

• Construction, technical improvements and transport-technological modernization of waterways, • Technical maintenance of waterways, • Rehabilitation of waterways and safe navigation infrastructure which became faulty due to natural disasters.

The Agency for inland waterways performs the public service in pursuance to public powers attained. The Agency is also responsible for the accomplishment of unctioning of the European System of River Information Services (RIS), and permanently carries out the control and monitoring of the conditions of inland waterways.

Vojtech Dabrowski, national RIS COMEX Beneficiary of the Czech Republic

“We expect that RIS COMEX project will enable us to strengthen the role of inland navigation in the pan-European region as efficient transport mode with very high safety level which is guaranteed by harmonised set of measures. RIS on corridor management is one of the most important subjects in this context.”

The Flemish waterway authority De Vlaamse Waterweg is responsible for the maintenance, operation, management and commercialisation of 1,067 km of inland waterways in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium.

“As a waterway authority in Belgium we want to make inland navigation more safe and efficient. Therefor we invest in River Information Services (RIS) and are looking forward to further improvement, harmonization and cooperation with our strategic partners. During different European projects the focus was mainly on exploring the possibilities of RIS, less on the implementation of sustainable realizations. RIS COMEX is founded on the results of those successful projects. By introducing RIS corridor management we will be able to offer our customers the services they’ve always wanted. With RIS COMEX we’ll rise the current state of RIS in Europe to a next level!”

Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) is the Dutch waterway administration and is responsible for the design, construction, management and maintenance of the main infrastructure facilities in the Netherlands. This includes the main road network, the main waterway network and water systems, including the North Sea.

“With RIS COMEX we want to achieve a broad interconnected European waterway network on which the shipping industry receives correct and relevant information, real-time, to improve reliable sailing times and to improve the safety of inland shipping. We want to focus on providing seamless and continuous cross-border support as governments and taking the next steps forward towards multimodal corridor-management. All means to increase the transparency in the logistic chain and make transport more reliable and resilient. To achieve this future image we can no longer optimize our own management of logistics on a national level. For a successful implementation of corridor-management we need to cooperate and we need to coordinate the efforts on an EU level.”

Voies navigables de France (VNF) is the French navigation authority in charge of managing the majority of France’s inland waterways network and their associated facilities – dams, locks, towpaths, lock-keeper’s houses and other structures. VNF is also responsible for the development of commercial and leisure inland navigation.

Electricité de France (EDF) is a French electricity producer. On the upper Rhine, each hydroelectric plant is coupled with a lock that allows vessels to cross the fall used to produce electricity. 8 out of 10 of these locks are operated and maintained by EDF, aiming for a high level of safety and availability. A major player in river transport in Alsace, EDF is thus seeking to develop, improve and modernize navigation in order to make this mode of transport even more efficient and attractive.www.edf.fr

Alaric Blakeway, VNF, national RIS COMEX coordinator of France

“RIS COMEX will be a big step towards the implementation of river information services harmonised all along the major European inland waterway corridors. This project may also build the foundations of a central RIS portal, enabling access to all useful information provided by the major inland navigation authorities throughout Europe.”

Waterborne Transport Development Agency (Agentúra rozvoja vodnej dopravy) provides development, reconstruction and modernization of waterways and its parts in accordance with approved Transport Policy,promotes of inland navigation andimplements pilot projects for the development of intermodal transport axes.

The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration is responsible for operation, maintenance and administration of the waterways, including new construction and improvement measures. The administration is also the river- and shipping-police authority.

“In projects like COMEX RIS deployment is done. It is the best way to reach the level of RIS service (Corridor Management) during a discussion with the project members based on the specific needs. Because then every participating Country in the project knows that it is possible and worth to reach the goals.”

viadonau is the Austrian waterway operator. By utilising the knowledge of our experts in infrastructure management, shipping and logistics, along with electronic information and navigational systems, flood control and environmental engineering, we provide services for the public sector, businesses, holidaymakers and local residents along the Danube.

“Having all countries connected to the European waterway network participating in RIS COMEX, we have now the chance to bring RIS a major step forward following the vision of Corridor Management as developed within the predecessor project CoRISMa. A lot of work is ahead of us but I am optimistic that we will be proud about the achievements by the end of the project.”

Modal Header

Some text in the modal.

The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.